Displaying items by tag: India

Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs is urging believers worldwide to pray earnestly for persecuted Christians, especially during the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. He explained that this initiative was not created as a campaign but simply answers the persecuted church’s first and most urgent request: 'Pray for us’. He described how deeply suffering believers understand the power of prayer, having seen God intervene when all earthly help failed. He recently heard testimonies firsthand, including a remarkable account from an Indian pastor arrested under an anti-conversion law. Determined to keep preaching the Gospel, the pastor was imprisoned and brutally beaten for seven days - hung upside down and struck by guards until they were exhausted. Yet he felt no pain, describing God’s supernatural protection. In an astonishing turn, the same warden who ordered the beatings invited him to speak about Good Friday and later granted him freedom inside the prison to share Christ. The pastor even prayed for the warden’s sick son, who recovered miraculously.

A devastating suicide bombing near the high court killed twelve people and injured more than twenty, shattering nearly two decades of relative calm in Islamabad. The attacker, unable to enter the judicial complex due to tight security, detonated explosives near a police vehicle. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility, though the Taliban distanced itself from the assault. President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, while prime minister Shahbaz Sharif accused ‘Indian terrorist proxies’, without providing any evidence to support his claim. The Taliban were also suspected of being responsible for an attack the previous day on a cadet college in the north-west of the country (see). International condemnations followed swiftly, emphasising solidarity and the urgent need for regional cooperation against extremism. The attacks come at a time of increased tensions with India, and peace negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan broke down last week, following violent clashes between their forces in October. Also this week, a huge explosion in Delhi, close to the historic Red Fort, killed eight and injured many others: it is not yet known who was responsible. See

Pakistan’s reception of Sikh pilgrims from India on 4 November marked a rare moment of goodwill amid lingering hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. After deadly border clashes in May shut down the Wagah-Attari crossing, the arrival of over two thousand pilgrims to celebrate Guru Nanak’s 556th birth anniversary signals a cautious reopening of people-to-people ties. Pilgrims were warmly welcomed with flowers and rose petals before travelling to Nankana Sahib, Guru Nanak’s birthplace, and other sacred sites. Pakistan’s high commission in New Delhi said that its decision was consistent with efforts to promote ‘inter-religious and inter-cultural harmony and understanding’. For many Sikhs, visiting these shrines represents both spiritual renewal and a poignant reminder of Punjab’s divided heritage since partition. Yet, tensions remain high, with the Kartarpur Corridor (allowing visa-free access to the temple) still closed and both nations trading accusations over recent violence in Kashmir.

India is facing a quiet but alarming environmental shift: it is literally losing sunlight. Over the past three decades, scientists have recorded a nationwide decline in sunshine hours, with clouds and air pollution jointly dimming the skies. Aerosols from vehicle emissions, crop burning, and industrial growth scatter sunlight and change cloud behaviour, blocking more solar radiation. According to recent studies, aerosols have reduced sunlight reaching the ground by about 13%, while clouds contribute an additional 31–44% loss. The impact extends far beyond gloomy days: it threatens agriculture, health, and India’s booming solar energy sector. Pollution already cuts solar power output by up to 41%, costing hundreds of millions in lost energy each year. Cleaner air could unlock enormous renewable potential and protect crop yields vital for millions. The Earth’s surface has gradually been receiving more sunlight since the 1980s, a process known as global brightening, but India risks running on fumes instead of full power, beneath a shroud of smog.

The village of Bishnoi in northern Pakistan has been devastated by a sudden flash flood, leaving entire homes buried beneath rocks and debris. On 15 August, torrential rains triggered a surge of water that swept through the village, destroying nearly every house. Locals described the scene as catastrophic, with families trapped under stones and crops flattened across the valley. Rescue operations continue with limited equipment, as survivors search desperately for missing loved ones. The area has suffered over 300 deaths, making it the hardest-hit region in Pakistan’s monsoon season, which has claimed more than 500 lives nationwide; there have also been many deaths in India and Nepal. Climate experts warn that melting glaciers, accelerated by global warming, are worsening the impact of heavy rains and landslides. Amid tragedy, there were moments of heroism, such as a school principal in the Swat valley who ordered the evacuation of 900 children only minutes before floods destroyed the building. In Bishnoi, families mourn as relief and recovery efforts continue.

US-India relations entered a turbulent phase when Donald Trump tore into India for its continued oil imports from Russia and slow progress on trade negotiations. Formerly close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump, accusing India of funding Russia’s war in Ukraine, has vowed to raise tariffs on Indian exports to 50%. India regards its Russian energy imports as economically necessary; it has a longstanding relationship with Russia and is among the largest importers of Russian oil. Modi’s government has so far resisted Trump’s pressure, particularly over opening up US access to the heavily protected agriculture and dairy sectors. In response to Trump’s belligerent language, Modi has called on citizens to buy only Indian-made goods, leading to greater economic self-reliance. Political commentators note that it will be very difficult for Modi to give any large concessions in a trade deal, given the growing anger within India towards Trump.

Twenty pastors were brutally attacked in Kotamateru village, Odisha state, India, while attending a Christian seed-blessing ceremony on June 21. Local villagers, armed with axes, knives, and wooden sticks, ambushed the pastors as they left the event, accusing them of religious conversions. Despite prior verbal police approval and peaceful intentions, the pastors were violently assaulted, leaving 30 injured and 10 hospitalized with severe wounds. Among the victims was Sukra Madi, 52, who remains in critical need of surgery his family cannot afford. Eyewitness accounts and video evidence confirm the deliberate nature of the attack, yet no arrests have been made. Police instead pressured Christians into a coerced “compromise” agreement, allegedly using language barriers to secure misleading signatures. When over 7,000 Christians protested the police inaction, authorities responded by filing criminal charges against 30 Christian leaders. This incident reflects a broader pattern of increasing hostility towards Christians in India, which now ranks 11th on Open Doors' World Watch List. Pastors and families continue to pray for justice, healing, and freedom to worship peacefully.

In one of India’s worst aviation disasters in decades, at least 240 people were killed when a Boeing 787 owned by Air India crashed in Ahmedabad soon after takeoff. The sole survivor, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, is in hospital but out of danger. The plane, bound for London, struck a residential building housing medical students; five students were killed and dozens injured. Charred wreckage and bodies were found across the crash site. Firefighters battled flames fed by full fuel tanks, while Indian army teams assisted rescue efforts. Eyewitness footage showed the plane descending before erupting into a fireball. Authorities reported the aircraft issued a mayday call before losing contact. Narendra Modi expressed profound sorrow, and Boeing is investigating its first-ever 787 Dreamliner crash. Investigators will analyse flight data to determine exactly what happened. Air India’s chairman said, ‘At the moment our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.’

Flooding and landslides caused by relentless rains have devastated northeastern India, with at least 44 people confirmed dead. Assam state has seen twelve deaths from flooding and five from landslides, with nearly 1,500 villages and over 617,000 people impacted. In Arunachal Pradesh, twelve deaths have been reported, while Sikkim has faced deadly landslides, killing two soldiers and a porter. The Indian Army is conducting tireless search and rescue operations in treacherous conditions, seeking six missing individuals amid unstable terrain and high altitudes. Other northeastern states are also reporting casualties as the disaster unfolds. Narendra Modi has assured support for affected regions, contacting local officials and promising relief. The scale of the disaster highlights the vulnerability of remote areas to extreme weather and the immense burden placed on rescue personnel. As the death toll rises, national and regional leaders face growing pressure to manage the crisis and protect vulnerable communities.

Following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on 22 April, military tensions between India and Pakistan escalated rapidly, culminating in cross-border missile strikes and drone attacks. The conflict nearly led to all-out war, but a US-announced ceasefire on 10 May halted the fighting. Both nations claim victory: India points to deep strikes into Pakistan’s Punjab region, while Pakistan touts the downing of Indian jets, confirmed by foreign sources. Analysts suggest that both sides gained and lost strategically. India achieved a rare reach into Pakistan’s heartland for the first time since 1971, while Pakistan successfully internationalised the Kashmir issue, welcoming external mediation. The ceasefire’s legitimacy is disputed: India insists it was bilateral, while Pakistan credits the USA. Talks between military officials have followed, but Narendra Modi has warned the ceasefire is only a ‘pause’. It would not take much for hostilities to flare up again.